How Cranberries Can Help Fight Tooth Decay

The fall season brings a lot of reasons to celebrate, but Thanksgiving is perhaps the most celebrated and widely-known fall holiday. Though the reason for its popularity lies mostly in the food, the delights of Thanksgiving dinner feed more than just your palate and belly. They also feed the biological reactions of the bacteria that live in your mouth–such as those that produce acids that destroy your teeth’s protective enamel. According to research, however, you might find a powerful ally in one of the more commonly-used Thanksgiving foods, cranberries, which can help fight tooth decay at a molecular level.

Oral bacteria are the reason why food can be such a destructive force to your teeth. Of the over 600 identifiable kinds of bacteria in your mouth, Streptococcus mutans are among the most notable for their habit of creating acids out of sugars and starches. The acids weaken your teeth’s enamel, and sap your teeth of the minerals they need to replenish their outer layer.

Over the last few decades, and perhaps longer, people have searched for natural substances to aid in the fight against cavities and other issues. In this quest, experts have learned that cranberries—a regular find on most Thanksgiving dinner tables—is one of the more potent natural weapons against cavities. The berries contain compounds that help block the enzymes of harmful oral bacteria, like the ones that cause cavities, in order to inhibit their ability to form dental plaque. By stopping them from sticking together, cranberries helps reduce the risk of tooth decay forming from he accumulation of oral bacteria.